Attacks on the Houthis: What sea lanes is Washington seeking to secure?

The United States seeks to secure vital shipping lanes in the Red Sea, particularly the Bab al-Mandab Strait, from threats posed by the Iran-backed Houthis.

US forces have already launched large-scale air operations in response to the group's attacks on shipping and maritime trade.

The strikes, which could last for days or even weeks, are the largest US military operation in the Middle East since President Donald Trump took office in January.

It comes as the United States is escalating sanctions pressure on Tehran while trying to bring it to the negotiating table over its nuclear program.

The Houthis have launched dozens of attacks on international shipping since November 2023, in a campaign they claim is in "support of the Palestinians in the war waged by Israel against Hamas in Gaza."

A Pentagon spokesman said that the Houthis have attacked US warships 174 times and commercial vessels 145 times since 2023.

Sea lanes in the Houthis' crosshairs

The Houthis are targeting strategic maritime areas linking the continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa.

The most important of these passages is the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which is a strategic crossing point linking the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait lies between Yemen to the northwest and Djibouti and Eritrea to the southeast, separating the Red Sea from the Gulf of Aden.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal, making it a key route for ships coming from Asia to Europe.

About 15 percent of global trade passes through it, making it of utmost importance to international shipping traffic.

The Houthis also target ships passing through the Red Sea, which connects the Bab al-Mandab Strait to the south and the Suez Canal to the north.

The Red Sea is a vital artery for freight transport, with thousands of commercial vessels passing through it annually. It provides a shortcut for ships heading from the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean, instead of having to go around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.

The Egyptian Suez Canal, which connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, has also been affected by Houthi attacks.

Before the Houthi attacks, about 12 percent of global trade, particularly oil and natural gas tankers, passed through the Suez Canal.

The attacks forced shipping companies to divert ships from the Suez Canal to the longer route around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope, impacting global trade by delaying deliveries and increasing costs.

Tensions in the Red Sea region have cost Egypt alone approximately $7 billion in Suez Canal revenues in 2024, equivalent to more than 60 percent of its revenues compared to the previous year, according to previous statements by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

The latest available data indicates that annual revenues from the Suez Canal declined by about a quarter in the fiscal year ending in June, reaching $7.2 billion in the 2023-2024 fiscal year, down from $9.4 billion in 2022-2023.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have escalated their attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, sinking two ships, seizing another, and killing at least four sailors.

The Red Sea blockades have caused significant financial losses, leading to a sharp decline in shipping traffic through the Red Sea, from 25,000 ships per year before the crisis to only about 10,000, a 60 percent decline, according to the White House.

The attacks forced "about 75 percent of ships linked to the United States and the United Kingdom to reroute" around Africa instead of crossing the Red Sea.

This added about 10 days to each flight, and an estimated $1 million in additional fuel costs per flight.

According to a White House statement, these attacks, which led to higher shipping prices, will increase global consumer inflation by 0.6 to 0.7 percent in 2024.

Trade between Europe and Asia was particularly affected by the crisis, as approximately 95 percent of ships traveling between the two continents normally pass through the Red Sea.

Among the top 10 importing countries by value of Red Sea trade, 5 are from the European Union.

Ports in the region have also been disproportionately affected by the rerouting of ships. Saudi ports such as Jeddah and King Abdullah Port have seen a sharp decline in cargo traffic.

Ships bound for King Abdullah Port declined by 88 percent in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, while those at Jeddah Port declined by 70 percent, according to Lloyd's List , a global shipping website.

In addition, the attacks caused significant damage to Yemen's port infrastructure.

Operations at the port of Hodeidah, a vital port for aid imports, have dropped to about 25 percent of capacity after airstrikes sank four of five major marine tugs and damaged a fifth.

These threats have prompted the United States to consider forming international alliances to secure these sea lanes.

In December 2023, the United States formed an international maritime coalition called Operation Prosperity Guardian.

This coalition sought to conduct patrols in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to protect maritime traffic from Houthi attacks.

The coalition included several countries, including Britain, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Greece, Canada, Australia, and Bahrain, in addition to other countries that contributed directly or indirectly to the operations.

The coalition's ships intercepted missiles and drones launched by the Houthis toward commercial vessels, reducing human and material losses.

Despite the coalition's success in intercepting numerous attacks, the Houthis continued to target ships, prompting the United States and Britain in January 2024 to launch direct airstrikes on Houthi military sites in Yemen. This was followed by successive attacks targeting missile and drone launchers, before culminating in the large-scale attacks ordered by Trump on Saturday.

The Houthis announced last Tuesday that they would resume attacks on Israeli ships passing through the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden, ending a period of relative calm that began in January, coinciding with the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.

US Central Command, which oversees forces in the Middle East, said Saturday's strikes were "the beginning of a large-scale operation" across Yemen.

On Sunday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the United States will launch "relentless" strikes against the Houthis in Yemen until they halt their military operations targeting US assets and global shipping.

Source: Alhurra